Loesje :grouphug: to your dd and you. I know you had very little information on what was required. Did they at least provide feedback that will be helpful in preparation for a retake?

:lol: If he hasn't read Dracula recently he probably will like The Historian better if he does. That being said both BF and I read it the first time totally independently when it first came out and loved it. Neither had read Dracula in years so probably doesn't matter in terms of basic enjoyment. Looking forward to his opinion on DODO. My dd hasn't had time yet. :( Sometimes I really miss being in charge of school and being able to have the occasional day off just because,......

Yes I do think this is one you would enjoy. I was actually thinking of you when I was writing my post. Others might like it too but I need to read further before naming anyone else! ;) My Dd would probably love both of these. Huge Sci fi geek that shed is. I am pretty sure I read War of the Worlds many years ago but the memory is very fuzzy. Dd read and loved it for a class a couple of years ago. I need to reserve it for her.

Jenn's YouTube just provided entertainment for the DC's, before I knew it we were all watching because they didn't believe me when I said it was opera. On with opera info because obviously I had to explain why opera was relevant to my BaW friends. Dd wants everyone to know there is a Discworld with opera.....Maskerade. Jane, the Oaklet shawl looks like a great pattern. I have some beautiful very thin Dk that I used part of for a gift for my mom a couple of years ago. I think there is enough left so I may give it a try. I am working on finishing my Green Man....he is currently faceless. ;). I am still working my way through Sarum. I have it for 14 more days so I just might finish it this time. Trying for a chapter a day....... The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34728925-the-strange-case-of-the-alchemist-s-daughter seems to be a mash up of characters from many classic spooky novels. So far Frankenstein, Dracula, Moreau, Jekyll \Hyde have all been represented. I started it for my A in Sapphire but wish I had left it for Spooky. I can't say I love it at 40% but it is entertaining enough. Unless it changes drastically probably a solid 3. The best part is characters like Renfield from Dracula suddenly appearing in the story to be honest.

Loesje, Glad your dd feels good about her exam. Brussels is not a place we enjoy driving so I totally understand. It seems stressful beyond normal big city and we actually were hit (no damage fortunately) by another car on our last visit. We were stopped at a red light and the car in front started backing up for no apparent reason and hit us. Just wham! It was so odd. We all got out and looked at the cars and left with each other's info just in case. Just odd. I finished another audio book. This one is my recommended by a friend Bingo Square (dd) who has been after me to read Welcome to Night Vale https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25741614-welcome-to-night-vale every since she read it thanks to Jenn. Her BF also loves it. The humor in the book was of the type where I get it but didn't really love it. That is the only way I can describe it. Very clever, sort of a bizarre stream of consciousness that I was so grateful to be listening to as opposed to trying to read. Snort worthy in places. Librarians are evil, yes evil.... So thank you Jenn for the long ago recommendation! I don't plan too listen to the podcasts....dd and her friend do I think. ;)

Me. I hang out on the BaW threads too.

Loesje, Good luck to your dd on her exam tomorrow. I hope your trip in is easy.....will yoju take a train? I started reading The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter earlier today. So far it appears to be a book with great potential. It did seem to require a knowledge of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in order to understand some references which I was lacking. I have now read Jekyll and Hyde :lol: and am "getting" much more out of the book. Spooky October started early here! ;).

It's been awhile since I attended a baby shower but I would keep it simple and nice. I see nothing wrong with a nice basic setting with toys as the center piece....another center piece idea could be Lego or Duplo. A friend who loved to knit baby clothing used to hang her creations around the room for decorations. They always looked adorable, you could do the same with a few baby basics and give those and the hangers as part of your gift. Food, another vote for keeping it simple. Something basic like the quiche with fruit salad on the side. A piece of cake and coffee\tea sounds great. Maybe a quiz, I just googled, there are tons available.

:grouphug: Shannon and Rose, I hope she starts feeling much better quickly. Butter, I was glad to read Ani's update. It sounds like your research is working. Coffee...who would have thought. ;) Erin, Brave woman to coach. Glad you are feeling well enough! :). I hope you latest surgery is the fix. If I missed anyone :grouphug: . I have been reading but have not had time to post! I finished The Family Plot and am taking back my statement that thus might be a good light book for Spooky October! No, very intense scene near the end and I did not like the ending. Honestly a typical horror type ghost story. I gave it a 3 because it was typical and I liked the characters but could have happily given it a 2. I don't like intense ghost scenes at all! I really enjoyed the Steampunk book that I read earlier this year and had hoped for something a bit different.

:grouphug:

Jenn, Let us know how he likes DODO. I think it will make a great storm companion because it is good and rather long! My vote is for The Historian, especially if you have never read it. I love that book so much that I have been contemplating reading it a third time for spooky October! I might read Dracula again too......or I may just make an effort to finish one of the paranormal series I have started. Speaking of Spooky I have been reading a book by Cherie Priest called The Family Plot that would certainly qualify. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25543181-the-family-plot. So far it's a ghost story that hasn't gone over the spooky everyone has seen a different ghost limit. So mild but not horror....I don't do ghosts particularly well. ;). A group of salvage employees are sent to an old mansion outside of Chattanooga to recover what they can before the estate is demolished and turned into a park......I am at the halfway mark and still reading. This is one that I had intended to weed out of my stack. Read a few pages and return but so far it's good enough to keep reading. I finished White Hot and loved it. I can't wait to get my hands on the third in the series! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22303684-white-hot

So glad both Mom Ninja and Shawne have checked in!!! 😃 Now I am ready for books.... I started reading White Hot by Ilona Andrews https://www.goodreads.com/series/122173-hidden-legacy. It is the second in a trilogy and I am enjoying it immensely now that I have gone back and figured out what happened in the first book. These are paranormal romances if anyone is looking for something good in that genre for romance month. I also finished listening to A Great Reckoning https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28220985-a-great-reckoning by Louise Penny. I gave most of her books five stars so this probably deserves six. I am glad the next just got released because this book could be a very satisfying conclusion to a great series! The mystery of Three Pines not being on maps is finally solved. That alone makes it a must read! So many little relevant details about village life struck me....what happens to a Church building when the congregation is gone for instance. I see that frequently here.....sold and turned into homes or businesses generally. I loved that in this book the building was used and enjoyed by the community. I now start waiting in earnest for Glass Houses.....I put myself on the wait list for both the audio and the book form. So we shall see which arrives first. I am roughly at the same place on both lists. BTW Amy, I am now officially used to the new narrator and still love listening to the Inspector Gamache books.

Pin trading perhaps. My kids loved pin trading and seemed to find what they were hunting for frequently at Epcot. You can buy a starter lanyard and start doing it at that day at Epcot.

Shawne :grouphug:

:grouphug: Sending good thoughts and prayers to our BaW kids in Talim's path..... Smooth seas and strong buildings. Wondering about Shawn and Momninja. Many areas are still without power.

:grouphug: I think making the call to the social worker was a good first step.

They are both really good! :) We visit near a Pig most years. We do shop there, of course it is once a year. DS buys a T-shirt every time we go. :lol: I have fond memories of loving the dancing pig sign. I can't find it online. Probably from the 70's, the pig moved across the top. I just finished listening to Schwab's A Gathering of Magic. So good. It's funny two weeks ago I was desperately hunting for books to listen to in order to finish my quilts now I am sort of stuck quilting because my audio book supply is great. Louise Penny is up next. I have 6 days to listen to it and the hold list is long for the other copies.

Stacia and Kathy, Thanks for the Irma reports. I was glad to hear Kathy has power again! Also glad for the kitty report as my dc's have been very interested in your cat evacuation! VC, my dd has been very worried about the Hemingway cats so I had a report for her that they were safe yesterday. I think she really wants to go and visit them now! It's a place I visited when I was a child and remember loving (Key West, at 4 if I saw the Hemingway house it didn't make an impression!) so it may be time to go again, when rebuilding is well under way and they are open for tourism again. Jenn, glad to hear that you enjoyed the latest book starring my all time favorite detective. I'm on a wait list for Y and am now feeling a bit impatient! Jane, Thanks for the reminder to get back to reading my Boris Akunin series. I read the first one The Winter Queen for one of the gem challenges earlier this year and really enjoyed it. It's so easy to bury ourselves under stacks of books that the ones we really want to pursue get forgotten. I finished my last Donna Andrews's this morning until I get my hands on the news one. Die like an Eagle gave me my E for Sapphire and made me chuckle quite a bit. Penquin, Congratulations on your Bingo.

:grouphug: to those affected by Irma. So many huge power outages and much property damage. I have watched an incredible amount of streamed local FL TV because of friends in Central Florida. Everyone is safe but without power. I couldn't sleep last night so I actually finished some books. 😄. Both good and bad! The Women of the Castle was overall good, 3 stars. Distressing but interesting. Fiction but from what I could tell with google well researched. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30653967-the-women-in-the-castle I also read JA Jance's novella/ prequel for her soon to be released book in her JP Beaumont series. I will admit Beaumont is one of my favourites. Still Dead was a great novella. I read them if I can get them for free because of ongoing storylines but generally find novellas to be something I wish would cease to be so popular. This one was well done and satisfying. Maybe it could stand alone as an introduction to the series. Some back story is given.....

:grouphug: I am so sorry :grouphug:

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Stadia, I hope the toe and leg are starting to feel better. Maine Coon cats are so cool! :). I haves always wanted one....I saw one in a shelter once and wanted it desperately but we were on vacation in Alaska at the time. One of my favorite cozy mystery series stars a Maine coon cat https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7337871-murder-past-due?from_search=true. I don't honestly expect you to read these but I couldn't resist mentioning. Jane, Safe travels. Fastweedpuller, Pawpaws in Michigan. I am amazed. What more can I say. Kathy, I will echo someone else's comment I hope you stay bored. I'm watching the coverage right now on Fox 35. Tornado warning in your area just got announced...... Stay safe.

I really enjoyed that series! The Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab https://www.goodreads.com/series/122142-shades-of-magic is my current audio book. It's a great series. I like the narrators also. I'm still reading The Women of the Castle. So far I am enjoying it but am only 50% through it. This book has an unusual view of WWII and is filled with flashbacks. It's focus is on a German Countess who was involved in the July 20 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler. Her part was knowledge but she promised to care for all the wives and children of the conspirators after.

:lol: I will leave it because it is perfect. BTW my old (5years at least) kindle fire is not doing well. The email is no more. I predict many typos in the next few weeks while I adjust to a new Kindle. Apologizing in advance.

A quick update on my Horticultural Show....I have pictures but need help to post so hopefully sometime tomorrow before this thread ends. So I am thrilled! Competition was huge, more entries than in past years I think. I received a third place for my large hexagon quilt with a lovely note from the judge about hand quilting. So cool! I also had a third in small patchwork items for a hexagon "dilly" bag that I was asked to enter on Wednesday. My daughter received an excellence in handicrafts trophy for her Star Wars amigurumi. Her note from the judge finished with "May the Force be with you! ". :lol: She was thrilled. We didn't even know that trophy existed. My Ds is obviously a far better cook then me ;) he won a second for his snickerdoodles. :grouphug: to those in Irma's path. I know I will be watching our thread to make surge (typo I meant "sure") everyone is safe. We have been busy watching news broadcasts from Orlando.